It seems that the ‘devil’s talent’ is right. Fernando Tatis Jr. (24, San Diego Padres) set a home run record, one of the best in major league history.
Tatis Jr. (3rd) started as the second 메이저놀이터 hitter in right field in the match against the Colorado Rockies in the 2023 Major League Baseball held at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado, USA.
Tatis Jr.’s bat, which had been silent throughout the game, flared up at the end of the game. In the beginning of the ninth inning, when the team was leading 5-1, Daniel Bard hit a slub with one out and second base and hit a three-run home run (season 19) that went over the left fence. The ball flew 444 feet (about 135.3 m) at a speed of 109.3 miles (about 175.9 km) per hour at a launch angle of 29 degrees. The final result was 4 at-bats, 1 hit (1 home run), 3 RBIs, 1 walk, and 1 run, contributing to the team’s 11-1 victory.
On this day, Tatis Jr. hit his 100th home run in his personal career. It has been five years since he made his debut in the big leagues in 2019. After the game, according to reporter Sarah Langs of MLB.com, the official major league homepage, Tatis Jr. hit 100 home runs in the league in 362 games, ranking fourth in the record for least 100 home runs in a game.
Tatis Jr. hit 22 home runs and a .590 slugging percentage in his first year at shortstop. Shortstops consume a lot of stamina due to the burden of defense, so much attention was paid to his explosive firepower. And Tatis Jr. has grown even more over the years. In the 2021 season, which was his career high, he recorded 42 home runs and a slugging percentage of 0.611, establishing himself as a star player representing the league in three seasons of his debut.
It was Tatis Jr. who was cruising, but faced bad news. Before the start of the season last year, he was injured in a motorcycle accident and was absent, and during the rehabilitation period, he was sentenced to 80 games for taking clostebol, a banned drug that helps muscle development. Not only was he unable to play the game, but the image and reputation of Tatis Jr., who was considered one of the greatest talents of all time, plummeted in an instant.
Tatis Jr., who was like that, came back this season after digesting rehabilitation and suspension disciplinary action. In 89 appearances, he has a batting average of .270 (101 hits in 374 at-bats), 19 home runs, and 58 RBIs, with an OPS (on-base percentage + slugging percentage) of 0.820. He’s been under a lot of labels since he was found to have taken banned substances last year, but he’s still using his talent to energize his lineup.
Meanwhile, Tatis Jr. said in an interview with ‘MLB.com’ after the game, “Thank you to everyone who helped me. This job (100 home runs) is for them.”